


Six of Foxes

by suseagull04



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV), The Magicians (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Six of Crows Fusion, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-18
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:33:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23636110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/suseagull04/pseuds/suseagull04
Summary: Neverland: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price. And no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Aurelius Gold. Gold is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he cant pull it off alone...
Relationships: Belle/Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold, Eliot Waugh/Dark King Sebastian, Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Robin Hood
Comments: 26
Kudos: 10
Collections: OQ Book Week





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone!! This is a Six of Crows AU featuring Outlaw Queen, Elbastian, and Rumbelle that I've wanted to write for awhile. Enjoy the first few chapters this week, and let me know what you think!!

**Six of Foxes**

**Chapter 1**

Aurelius Gold limped through the streets of Neverland, determined to arrive at his destination on time. He was known for being precise in all areas of his life, and any lapse in precision led to mistakes that he paid for dearly. He had always believed that everything one wanted came at a price, and he was famous in Neverland for being ruthless in his pursuit of his goals. There were whispers about him, that if you made a deal with Aurelius Gold, you needed to hold up your end of the deal or suffer dire consequences. 

And those weren’t just rumors. Gold had spent years perfecting his combat skills, and was one of the most feared men in Neverland, despite his physical shortcomings. He also had eyes and ears everywhere, a fact that had aided him immensely on more than one occasion.

It was rumored that the man he was about to meet had a job for him, and Gold was intrigued. As one of Neverland’s wealthiest merchants, Mr. Waugh had numerous resources at his disposal, even more than Gold did (though he hated to admit it). What Waugh could possibly want with someone like him, Gold couldn’t even begin to imagine.

When he entered the Waugh residence, he was directed to a spacious office that, while elegant, spoke of the owner’s inclination towards business. While the desk and chairs were made of the finest wood, they were not comfortable, and any decoration on the walls lent itself only to future prosperity. A degree hung on one wall, a map of their world on the other. The only aspect of the room that spoke of a personal touch were pictures of Waugh himself and a young boy who Gold knew was currently older, around his own age. It made Gold wonder what would have happened if the only people he had ever loved were still alive.

His thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of Waugh himself. While he was short in stature, he was broad, his musculature indicating that while he was part of Neverland’s elite merchant class, he did not allow his status in the community to justify a life lived in luxury. Instead, it was clear that like Gold, he was a shrewd businessman. He was a man who knew what he wanted who would stop at nothing to achieve his aims. 

His assessment ended when Waugh cleared his throat. "Mr. Gold, you are likely wondering why you are here."

"I was a bit perplexed when I received your note, yes," Gold admitted. The note had been delivered directly to his room in The Fox's Den, embossed with Waugh's signature seal, and while he had his suspicions regarding why the merch wanted him, Gold had been surprised. The merchant class in Neverland was determined to eradicate the city of its gangs, thieves, gambling halls, and brothels, but like the twisting, narrow streets that crisscrossed the city, the less noble of its citizens refused to be chased away. In fact, their numbers and power grew by the day, a fact that was likely an eternal nuisance to the merchants who governed the city. 

"As I suspected," Waugh stated briskly, steepling his fingers, his elbows taking a decidedly unbusinesslike stance on the desk before him. "Mr. Gold, you are here because I have a very sensitive, very important task for you. Should you choose to accept, you will be richly rewarded for your efforts. Four million fairlets will be yours for your troubles."

Gold's eyebrows raised. Even when split among his selected crew for the job, that was enough money to do whatever he wanted. With that kind of money, he could live in the lap of luxury for the rest of his life if he wanted to- or leave Neverland behind for good. "You haven't told me what I need to do yet, merch," he pointed out, beginning to become inpatient with Waugh's pomp and circumstance regarding a job that could likely be easily explained in a concise manner.

"Very true, and it's not a  _ what _ , but a  _ whom _ ," the older man informed him. "Have you heard of the drug  _ nostos potencia _ ?"

"Whispers of it, yes, but it seemed too much of a fairy tale to take it seriously," Gold scoffed. The drug was said to give Grisha, magical people of their world, limitless power. It enhanced their given magical abilities so they could perform miracles hitherto unheard of by all but the imaginings of children. 

“Well believe it or not, those rumors are true. Follow me.” With that, the councilman led Gold through a maze of hallways to a secluded room at the rear end of the house. 

The air of the room they entered was that of a morgue. The silence was eerie, the room itself dark until Waugh flipped a switch. 

What the light revealed left Gold in awe. The room was filled with scientists dressed in white lab coats, all of whom seemed to be motionless. As the self-professed criminal circled the room, not a single one of them stirred, not even to blink. Mouths were left open, some eyes were closed and some were wide with shock. But each face was frozen in fear and amazement.

“What… happened here?” he breathed.

Waugh, who had been quiet as he observed the statuesque people, spoke up. “The effects of  _ nostos potencia _ . While water from Lake Nostos will heal anything, combined with the correct configuration of ingredients, it creates a substance powerful enough to enhance a Grisha’s abilities, as I explained previously.  _ Nostos potencia  _ was being tested on an indentured Healer, Mallory. To test her abilities, she was ordered to heal minor cuts on a boy’s arms and hands. When the child was asked to cut off his thumb, the Grisha froze everyone in this room except herself and the child. They escaped, and while the boy is with his parents, she was found dead not far from here. The Council was only informed of the incident by one of my servants, who happened to be observing through a crack in the doorway.

_ “Nostos potencia  _ is not only real, but it allows Grisha to assume limitless power. However, that effect only lasts for a limited time period. Once that time span elapses, the drug almost always leaves its user lifeless. Which is how we knew we would find a compromised Mallory; there were nine others before her, only one of whom didn’t die from withdrawal or a second dose.”

“Then why use it at all?” Gold inquired. His tone, he hoped, concealed the fact that he was disgusted with the merchs’ waste of human life against their will. While he was known for being relentlessly unforgiving and cruel, Gold could honestly say that he had never endangered another’s life- or at least, someone he considered an ally- without their consent. The girl he enlisted to gather intelligence for him, Belle, made sure of that with her constant insistence that he could be a good man. While he didn’t believe her and never would (his reputation spoke for itself, after all), her hope had at least influenced him enough to draw a line between what he would and wouldn’t do in his pursuit of revenge, much to his chagrin.

“There is the possibility of an antidote to the aftereffects the drug’s high leaves in its wake,” Waugh explained. “The drug’s creator, Killian Jones, is currently said to be captive in the Pine Court, working on an antidote to these effects. Your task would be to break into the Pine Court, rescue Killian Jones, and bring him to the Merchant Council.”

Gold stared at him, mouth agape, the wheels turning in his mind rapidly. Break into the Pine Court? It was the strongest fortress in the world, a military base in Sherwood Forest that also served as a prison and cultural center to visiting dignitaries. To even attempt to break into it would be impossible, let alone getting out alive. He would need more than the usual crew, six of the most skilled people in the business, to pull this off. And each of them would need to be paid. Which meant...

“Six million fairlets,” he bargained. “No more. No less.”

“Six-!” Waugh exclaimed, but Gold cut him off. 

“You are asking me to break into the most impenetrable fortress in the world, which will require more than my usual crew. And each of them will want to be paid a generous amount for the nearly impossible task you have set us. So I think six million fairlets is more than reasonable, don’t you?”

Waugh’s eyes bulged, but after a moment of silence, he sighed. “Fine. But I expect this to be accomplished as soon as possible, are we clear?”

The fact that he thought that he was above Gold irked the latter to no end. But he knew that the best strategy would be to be as civil as possible, so he simply held out his hand. “Of course,” he replied, holding out his hand for Waugh to shake. “Six million fairlets to rescue Killian Jones from the Pine Court. We have a deal.”

“We have a deal,” Waugh nodded. And with that, Gold turned to leave. But before he walked out, he turned back. “Any luck finding your son?” The boy had disappeared six months before, and it was said that Waugh was sparing no expense to retrieve him and bring him home.

A strange look crossed the councilman’s face. “Not as of yet, but we’re doing all we can. But that is none of your concern.”

Gold nodded. With those words, he walked out of the merch’s office and back to The Fox’s Den to solidify the plan forming in his mind and begin to make it a reality.

********

Regina took a deep, calming breath, then wrapped her  _ kefta  _ around her. She would only be helping one more person tonight, and then she could rest. 

When she had been snatched away from the Enchanted Forest after the Ogre Wars had left a divided nation in their wake, she supposed she had been incredibly lucky to find her position. While others of her kind were indentured, little more than slaves, she had the freedom to use her gifts in a way that helped people. Although she hated that often the people who could afford her services were not the people she most wanted to help. 

She heard a knock at the door, and opened it to find Gold. What exactly his first name was, she didn’t know, and she doubted she would ever find out. He was the ringleader of a gang that had offered her a place within its ranks upon her arrival in Neverland, and while he had buried secrets that she knew she would never be able to crack, she was well aware of the fact that she would be faring much worse if it wasn’t for him.

She stepped back and let him in, watching him use his cane, distinguishable by the fox head at its tip, to aid him. How he had come to have a bad leg was a mystery to all but Gold himself, but speculation and rumors abounded. Some said that during a job, a dog had bitten his foot and left a gash bone-deep that he hadn’t been able to afford to get fixed. Others claimed that he had contracted a disease that had never been cured. 

Another mystery was the gloves he always wore. Speculation within the halls of the Fox’s Den abounded, some claiming that Gold had a genetic mutation that helped him pull off the sleight of hand tricks that allowed him to be such a good thief, others that he actually had missing fingers. Regina doubted that the last theory was true; his gloves had always looked full to her. 

She watched him now, noting how sitting in one of the two chairs in her room was an effort for him. Once he was settled, she wasted no more time. “What do you want, Gold?”

“Your assistance with a job,” Gold told her. As she listened to him explain the terms of the job, she shook her head. “Not happening, Gold. Not even for a million fairlets.”

He smirked. “What if I said I could make it worth your while in other ways?”

Her eyebrows rose to her hairline. “Such as?” The less honorable happenings within this building that drew leering men to it were encounters she never wished to have, and he knew that. After all, he had taught her everything he knew and given her a home with the Foxes. 

“Don’t worry, dearie, nothing like that,” Gold assured her with a wave of his hand, clearly anticipating her thoughts. “I believe there’s a certain former thief and soldier who could use our help?”

Her eyes widened. Did he really mean what she thought he meant? “Do you mean we’re finally going to-?”

Gold nodded curtly with a smug smile. “Yes. We’re going to rescue one Robin Locksley from Hellgate.”

Well, when he put Robin’s freedom on the table, there was no chance she would refuse- and she was sure he knew that. Still, she knew exactly why Gold wanted Robin… but she had also been begging Gold for a year to help her free him, so she couldn’t risk passing up this opportunity. So breathing deeply and praying that when he saw her, Robin would forgive her, she told Gold, “I’m in. Now let’s go save Robin.” 


	2. Chapter 2

“WHAT?!?” Regina exclaimed. “He’s- you’re going to risk-”

“Yes,” Gold stated firmly. “It’s the only way. If you want your precious woodsman back, we have to do this.”

Belle sighed. Typical. Both Gold and Regina had strong-willed personalities, and neither liked to back down. But as the leader of their gang, Gold had final say in all of their plans. And quite frankly, Belle was thankful that he did. While yes, Regina had been a more than capable soldier in the Second Army back in the Enchanted Forest, Gold’s schemes were legendary, flawless masterpieces that never failed.

And though Gold rarely acknowledged it, his success was at least partly thanks to Belle. Although it was common knowledge what each type of Grisha did, finding out which Grisha in Neverland had which ability had been part of the reason Gold had rescued her from her indenture with Gaston. So many citizens had fled the Enchanted Forest after the civil war due to the dangers the new regime posed to their kind, but each of them was close-lipped about what they were able to do. So it was up to Belle to discover the talent of each. From there, she had let him decide what he wanted to do with the information. 

Regina, for example, was an interesting find. Belle had discovered that Regina was a Heartrender, a Grisha who could use her abilities to cause physical harm to people, and Regina’s particular specialty was tearing out people’s hearts. However, Belle suspected that she had the potential to be so much more, whether she knew it or not. After all, there had been unique Grisha in the past. She just needed to see her full potential. Belle saw it in every conversation she and Gold had- there was something in Regina longing to burst forth that had not yet been unleashed.

Right now, for example. Her eyes were ablaze with something that Belle knew from experience was just waiting to be unleashed. She and Gold were fire and ice, her passion only matched by his cold calculations. “But why not before-” Regina started, but Gold cut her off.

“Absolutely not. You know how I operate, Regina.”

She did. Gold was known for his flawless schemes, and by the end of the first month of their acquaintance, Belle had learned that there was no arguing with Gold, which was largely because there were too many times that he ended up being right. 

When Belle had been conducting research on the members of their group, she had been able to unearth very little about their leader. He held even details as trivial as his first name close to his chest, and no one knew anything about his past. It was as if he had suddenly sprouted from the soil of Neverland, ready and able to play the dangerous game that those throughout Neverland played. Theirs was an island nation of chaos, where the law of the land was the survival of the fittest. And Gold knew how to use that chaos to his advantage better than anyone Belle knew. Still, despite his ruthlessness and calculating manner, Belle knew there was goodness in him that he would always deny. It was just buried so deeply that he had all but forgotten it.

Belle tried to reason with him, or at least, get him to compromise. “Maybe Regina’s right. If we get Robin out beforehand-”

“Security will be everywhere,” Gold interrupted her. “And we need them to be preoccupied with other things when we get him out, Belle, you know that.”

“But what if he gets hurt?”

“Then he shouldn’t’ve gotten thrown in Hellsgate,” Gold said shortly. “He’s lucky I need him for this job, otherwise he’d be left to rot there. And besides, Regina always has the option of healing him, though we’ll have little time for it.”

Belle saw Regina’s eyes flash, and it was in that moment that she knew she was right: there was more to this Heartrender from the Enchanted Forest than met the eye, maybe even more than she knew herself. “How about you do it because it’s the decent thing to do?” she fired back. 

Gold laughed bitterly. “The right thing? Regina, if you wanted people to do the right thing, you should have stayed in the Enchanted Forest, because no one in Neverland has the decency you seem to think is prevalent throughout the world.”

Regina groaned and glanced her way. Ever since Gold had rescued her from Gaston’s clutches, Belle and Regina had had a friendship built on twin pillars of pain and suffering. It had bonded them, and in time, they had become confidants. But not even Belle knew the full story behind Regina’s connection to Robin. Whatever had happened was clearly something that she didn’t care to think about, let alone discuss, and Belle hadn’t pushed her friend, not wanting to risk the friendship that had formed between them. 

She shook her head, indicating to the other girl that her attempts to reason with their leader were futile, and Regina sighed. “Fine. But if anything happens-”

“Yes, yes, I’ll happily face any consequences you deem appropriate,” Gold finished her sentence nonchalantly, a confident smirk on his lips. 

Regina screamed with rage and stormed out of the room, Gold calling after her, “Be angry with me all you want, dearie, but I expect gratitude once all of this is over.”

Once they were alone, Belle turned to him. “Did you really think that was necessary?”

“Everything I do is necessary,” he scoffed.

Belle shook her head. “It wasn’t, and you know it. Even I don’t know her full story, but I do know that Regina would do anything to save Robin- and so do you. Why not just rescue Robin out of compassion?”

Clearly tired of debating morals, Gold changed the subject. “You know the mission?”

She nodded. “Of course.” It wasn’t the mission that had taken long to discover, it was her research on  _ nostos potencia  _ that had taken the longest to sift through. She knew just how dangerous, and just how vital, their mission was.

He gazed at her, and in that moment, Belle saw the lost boy that resided in Gold’s soul, the boy that encompassed the goodness that he could exhibit if he only had any desire to. “And you still want to go with me?”

She nodded. Despite the danger, she knew she had to go with them. Who else would keep Gold’s temper in check?

Gold nodded in affirmation. “Good. And I promise, Belle, after this, we’ll be done. No more heists, no more schemes. We’ll have enough to do whatever we want.”

“And what of us, Gold?” she inquired softly. “Will you ever want to see me again once I’m of no further use to you?”

He opened his mouth, but no words passed through his lips. Her heart heavy, she turned away from him and began to prepare for the task that lay ahead.

*******

The raucous cacophony of a thousand voices or more filled Regina’s ears as she stared out at the arena before them. She could scarcely believe that a year after fate had brought them together, she was finally helping free Robin. But did Gold really have to make him suffer through  _ this _ ?

They were sitting on stone benches which were stacked in risers around the dark, cavernous room. People around them- almost all of them men- were shouting, their fists in the air as they hollered for the master of ceremonies, aptly named Hades, to release the next competitor.

Every month, the guards of Hellsgate chose a handful of prisoners to compete for privileges- extra food, an individual cell, and the like. Seb had bribed the guards and had learned from them that Robin was one of that night’s competitors- which was quite fortunate, if Regina’s limited knowledge of the subject was correct. Prisoners with good behavior had their names thrown into a hat and a drawing was made for ten contestants. Each contestant would battle a random opponent with his or her weapon of choice.

The lifeless body of the previous contestant, who had just been punctured by the fangs of a venomous snake, had been dragged out of the arena, Regina watched as Hades, black robes billowing around his tall frame, stepped into the middle of the arena, blood coating his shoes. “And now, I give you our next contestant- Robin Locksley!”

Regina balled her hands into fists at her sides, mentally and physically fortifying herself for what lay ahead. 

She forced herself to stare straight ahead as Robin entered the amphitheater, hands and feet in chains. He was far more gaunt than when she had last seen him, his clothes hanging in rags around his thin body. The year in Hellsgate had clearly done nothing for his physique, and for a moment, she wondered if he would be able to face the task ahead.

Then she looked over at the wall where his choices of weapons lay, and she knew that Robin would win, no matter what, or who, his opponent might be. For there, sitting amidst an array of knives, clubs, swords, and other weapons, was a bow and a matching quiver full of arrows. 

Regina couldn’t help letting out an audible sigh of relief. Robin had been known in Sherwood Forest for his skill with a bow, and in fact was famous for never missing his target. Regina had seen his skills in action on more than one occasion, and she knew that since he had access to the bow, he would be unbeatable.

Once Robin had chosen his weapon (the bow and arrows, as Regina had predicted),Hades’ two burly minions, whom those of Neverland had long ago nicknamed Pain and Panic, led Robin over to a large wheel. On the wheel were depictions of his potential foes: a fellow prisoner, the snake that had fought the previous contestant, a wolf, a bear, and, most disturbingly… a lion. 

With hands weak from the cuffs that had shackled them for so long, Robin reached out and spun the wheel. Regina watched with bated breath as the notch determining the soldier’s fate ticked past the predators until finally, it landed on the lion.

A broken sob escaped Regina. Any other challenge Robin could face… but not this.

“What?” Gold snapped as Belle’s blue eyes filled with sympathy, clearly aware what was at stake. Gold’s gaze was the opposite, his eyes cold, harsh.

Regina shook her head helplessly. “You don’t understand.” No one did- except perhaps Belle, who was the most well-read person she knew. The people of Sherwood Forest, especially its soldiers, held lions to be their most sacred animals. Each member of the  _ leones,  _ the warriors of Sherwood Forest, bonded with their own lion from the time the felines were cubs. They were their brothers. To kill one was unfathomable to them, akin to killing a family member.

Judging by his expression, Regina knew that Robin was as horrified as she was. She saw his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed. She knew this would be one of the hardest things he ever had to do, but he  _ had  _ to do this. Otherwise, the lion would take matters into its own hands

When it emerged, the lion immediately lunged toward Robin. He dodged out of the way, his bow slipping out of his hand and sliding across the floor. He stood and circled the arena, the lion following suit, each predator stalking its prey. 

As Robin passed the bow, Regina saw him subtly grab it. She waited with bated breath, knowing the faceoff couldn’t last for long. 

Sure enough, a second later, the lion lunged at Robin, sinking its teeth into his shoulder. Regina’s gasp was lost to the shouts of the crowd as they roared for the savage carnage they craved. 

Robin sank to his knees, clutching his shoulder, trying to staunch the flow of blood from the wound. The lion swiped at his face, its claws creating gashes across his face. 

Tears were glistening in Regina’s eyes now, but she fought the lump in her throat to cup her hands to her mouth and call out, “You can do it, Robin!”

For a moment, it seemed as if he heard her. His eyes went wide, and his expression went from conflicted to determined in the blink of an eye. 

As the lion circled him again, Robin knocked an arrow and aimed it. His eyes were locked on his target, oblivious to all else. Regina saw him draw in a shaky breath, pull the arrow so it was taut, then as he exhaled, the arrow flew.

Regina struggled to see the arrow’s trajectory through her tears, but she saw it hit its target as it pierced the lion’s heart. 

Her tears streamed down her face as the crowd jumped to its feet and cheered. As Pain and Panic dragged Robin to his feet, Gold whispered in her ear, “Toughen up and dry your tears, it’s time to go,” she hastily wiped her tears and followed him, Seb, and Belle from the arena, wondering where this reunion would lead them. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this, and please let me know what you think!!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my third entry for OQ Book Week- enjoy, and let me know what you think!!

_ Her face swam before him, a vision in purple as her ebony hair flowed over her shoulders, her chocolate eyes filled with nothing but the purest love. His hand reached out to caress her cheek, all enmity between them forgotten. Their identities as leones and Grisha, hunter and hunted, were shed like a second skin, until they were only who they wanted to be. _

_ Robin and Regina. _

_ As his fingers threaded themselves in her dark locks, he tilted her head up and leaned down to her. They were scarcely a centimeter apart as she whispered his name. “Robin…” _

“Robin,” that heavenly voice repeated, the words fighting to reach him- was that a lump in her throat? “Robin, wake up.”

The water poured on his face acted as a sobering agent, allowing him to become more aware of his surroundings. With the return of reality came the ache in his shoulder caused by the lion’s gnawing teeth, and Robin’s eyes filled with tears as he remembered the atrocious crime he had been forced to commit, and all in the name of frivolous sport and entertainment. 

Then  _ her  _ voice whispered his name again, her voice full of concern, and his tears dried instantly. No time to grieve the loss of one of his brethren when there was an enemy so near. 

He fought the urge to look at her, but old habits were impossible to break. Her face was as lovely as in his dream, even in its tearstained state. But he knew that beneath the beauty, there was a monster who was perfectly willing to betray him, and the reminder of what had transpired between them snapped him back to his senses. 

“Get away from me,  _ witch _ ,” he snarled, backing away from her as much as possible in the impossibly cramped cell. 

As he backed into the corner, he realized just how many people were around them. So many pairs of eyes were staring at him that he felt like he was back in the arena, facing the lion once again. 

The arena.  _ She _ had been there.

He had wondered at the time, but all of his senses had been focused on the impossible task at hand. Blood flowing, pulse racing with fear and dread, his name had been all but lost in the cheers and jeers of the crowd. But because it had been  _ her _ voice, the voice he had both dreaded to hear and shamefully craved for so many sleepless nights, his mind had latched onto it, a drowning man clutching a rope that was his only hope for survival. He had managed to let the arrow meet its target with her voice as the balm for his aching soul as he watched the majestic lion, the most noble of all felines, fall before him. The last thing he remembered was sinking to his knees before the innocent creature, a pawn in this horrific display of power and greed.

For that's all this was: Hades' desire for the applause of the crowd and the gold that came with it. But what about those who fought for their lives? Where was the only prize for the victors that they would want- their freedom? 

Staring at Regina's face in front of him, Robin decided: he had definitely gotten the worse end of the bargain when he had had to slay the lion and afterwards was face to face with the woman who had landed him here in the first place. 

She was touching his shoulder, healing the wounds inflicted by the lion with her cursed Grisha powers. Though he knew from experience that her expertise was as a Heartrender, one meant to destroy instead of heal, he could feel her prowess in all aspects of her craft, and the thought that she was using that sorcery on him sickened him. The power within her and every Grisha was an abomination, unnatural, not something that should be used with such regularity by her kind.

He wrenched his arm from her grasp. "Get your hands off me, witch!"

Her eyes, so expressive when the rest of her demeanor was not, morphed instantly from concerned to fury. Good. He didn't need the pity of a filthy heathen like her, and he didn't care how much he hurt her. Lio knew she hadn't cared when she sentenced him to an eternity in this place.

"I'm trying to help you," she snapped, the fire he remembered from the night he met her filling her voice with a strength that belied the tears he knew she had shed barely a moment before. 

And despite the circumstances that had landed him in this cursed place, he sensed that she was telling the truth. For all she had done to him in the past, the woman who had once been his enemy was trying to help him. At the same time, though, if she had betrayed him once, who’s to say she wouldn’t do it again?

“Locksley, let her heal you and let’s move,” a man about Robin’s age who leaned on a cane with a fox’s head ordered. “Now, before I decide it wasn’t worth saving you and leave you here to die- or worse.”

Robin suppressed a shudder. Who exactly had the witch become allies with over the last year? The Regina he had known, although a fierce and resilient warrior, was gentle at heart, a champion for those in need. Perhaps that is what had drawn him to her, despite the fact that to ally himself with her was to go against his own kind, betray his brothers in the worst possible way.

The  _ leones  _ had spent hours pouring over ancient tomes detailing the abilities of the mystical beings who called themselves Grisha. Ruthless Heartrenders, who could destroy their opponent in the blink of an eye. Healers, who did just the opposite, skilled in aiding both body and mind. Inferni, creators of vast flames that could engulf even the tallest of buildings. Alkemi, who could create metals. Fabrikators, master craftsmen. Tidemakers, who with the snap of their fingers could drown an entire population. And, of course, Squallors, who thought themselves so mighty as to control the heavens themselves. Robin had been taught about them all under the tutelage of Keith Nott, a legend among their ranks. Nott had seen in him a kindred spirit, one who needed a new place to belong after life had dealt him the harshest of blows. So the older man had taught him the ways of the  _ leones  _ and the finer points of bringing an end to the unnatural beings who called themselves the Grisha. And in the midst of paving a new path for himself, Robin had found a brother, someone he could come to when in need. To betray him by allowing a Grisha to aid him not just once but twice was unfathomable. 

But at the same time, so was the thought of spending another second in the depths of Hellsgate. So he extended an olive branch. “What’s in it for me?”

“Money, Locksley,” the boy with the fox’s cane informed him. “Riches beyond your wildest dreams. Of course, those won’t matter to an  _ honorable  _ former thief such as yourself.”

Robin tried to control his emotions, but a small flinch escaped him at the sound of his former occupation. How did the imp know of his past, something he had kept hidden as often as he could?

No time to ponder the answer to that question now. There was a decision to be made: spend Lio only knew how long in the worst place he had ever been in, or face the unknown with the woman who betrayed him and this motley crew?

Seeing no real option, he knew his path was clear, wrought with peril as it may be. “Fine, do it,” he snapped at her, not even giving her the courtesy of looking her way. “But if you harm instead of heal me, I swear, witch-”

“Save it,” she lectured, her powerful hands- the only description of them Robin could give that was neither a benediction nor a curse- set to work on his wounds. Her hands hovering over him, he felt his aching muscles and bleeding wounds answer her call as the pain left them and he was left with a relief he stubbornly refused to feel due to the nature of how it was given to him.

Once she finished, the man with the cane ordered, “Come on, let’s move. Seb should be creating our distraction right about…” he checked his watch, “now.”

Right on cue, Robin heard an explosion in the corridor outside of his cell. He glanced at the others. “I’m going to take a safe guess and say that that was our distraction?”

The leader of the group nodded curtly. “Follow me.”

After bidding Robin’s replacement (who the witch had likely tailored to look more like him) farewell, they walked single file out of the cell. A girl with curly brown hair and kind blue eyes handed him a mask and cape, which he quickly threw over himself as the others had, before following them out of the cell, debating all the while if he was making the right decision as they joined the myriad of mask and cloak-clad guests leaving the arena. 

After all, Regina had betrayed him once. Who’s to say that she, or the others, wouldn’t pull a repeat performance? He would have to be on his guard now more than ever. His life would depend on it. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my fifth entry for OQ Book Week. Enjoy, and let me know what you think!!

Seb surveyed the room around him. The crew Gold had put together was a motley bunch, himself included. The only people in this upper room of the Fox’s Den were himself, Gold, Belle, Regina, and the Sherwoodian convict they had just rescued. And for some reason that Seb had yet to deduce, the last member of their crew was a fresh-faced young man about Seb’s age who to the sharpshooter had always looked like he was going to run back to wherever he had come from the minute a gun was trained on him. With the backdrop of dark, peeling walls and chipped furniture, Seb had never seen someone who looked more out of place. 

To be honest, Seb was a little surprised that Gold had picked him for the mission. He looked remarkably like Regina’s convict, so much so that they could easily pass as brothers. Seb likely had his superior shooting abilities to thank for his escape from being Robin’s replacement. Yes, Graham looked enough like him that Regina hadn’t needed to do a lot of Tailoring, but Seb was the spitting image of the freed prisoner, so his reprieve from Hellgate meant that he would be vital to whatever task lay ahead. 

Gold updated them on their objective: freeing a prisoner from the Pine Court. The Pine Court? Seb observed the reactions of his fellow conspirators and smirked. They appeared concerned- particularly the man whose former home they would be infiltrating- but Seb took it all in stride. While his mother had once told him that he had a heart of gold, his true talents lay in not only boldly facing the unknown, but being ready to face any danger that came his way.

Sure enough, Robin’s reaction was priceless, but his manner was still calm and collected, just as Seb had imagined it would be. His demeanor was that of a disciplined soldier, but his ire was still palpable, permeating the room as his voice shook, his eyes blazing with fury. “You want me to break into the place that was my home? Do you have any idea how impossible that is? And there’s no way I can do it. I won’t betray my country, my  _ brothers _ , like that.”

“We need you, Locksley,” Gold barked. “There  _ is  _ a way into the Pine Court. There always is. And only you can help us find it. Think of the reward.”

The former prisoner shook his head and scoffed. “There is no way you’re getting me to help you break into the Pine Court. Especially if you expect me to work with  _ her _ ,” he added, his glare now fixed on Regina. 

“Depending on the plan we come up with, you may not have to, dearie,” Gold reminded him. “But the success of that plan relies on you telling us what you know. Starting with when we should attempt to infiltrate this supposedly impenetrable fortress.”

“We need to go during the Festival of the Trees- it’s coming up soon, after all,” Regina offered. Seb saw Robin glare at her. Clearly, the Heartrender knew something about Sherwood Forest that the rest of the renegades did not. Which made sense, Seb supposed. The Grisha were sworn enemies of the  _ leones _ . If anyone knew intricate details about their customs, it would be Regina. However, he was sure that that knowledge was biased, given the history between the Enchanted Forest and Sherwood Forest. Due to the fact that he had come to Neverland from Fillory, he was unfamiliar with the customs and annual celebrations of either country. 

“The Festival Trees is a sacred ceremony,” Robin muttered. “I will not allow you and your thieving friends to desecrate such a holy tradition.”

Seb glanced at Gold. Of all of them, he was perhaps the closest to the tight-lipped criminal mastermind, and as such, only he, Belle, and perhaps Regina, judging by her expression- were able to identify Gold’s scheming face. And Seb decided to call him out on it. “I know that face, Gold. What are you planning?”

Instead of answering Seb’s question, Gold directed an inquiry of his own at Robin. “Dignitaries from every nation visit the Pine Court for the festivities, am I correct?”

“Of course,” Robin responded. He frowned. “Why do you ask, exactly?”

“Because of the layout of the Pine Court,” Gold said so matter-of-factly that Seb wondered just how far his resources and knowledge reached. To him, it seemed limitless- but that was what happened when he had Belle as his informant. “There’s the prison, the  _ leones  _ compound, and an embassy sector, correct?”

Robin scowled, a clear indication to Seb that once again, Gold was right. Seb knew that Belle was Gold’s investigator, but he often wondered exactly how Gold managed to deduce the bits of information that Belle didn’t uncover for him. He and Gold were alike in some ways, but Seb had to admit that he could never be as cruel and calculating as Gold often was. He would happily go into a room with guns blazing, but he had a capability for compassion that the leader of their group lacked. 

And speaking of compassion… Seb glanced over at the fresh-faced newbie Gold had asked him to recruit months ago. Yes, Eliot had gifts, but Seb also suspected that he would back out at the first sign of danger. He had never been on a job before, so why Gold wanted him for this critical mission, Seb had yet to figure out. He knew that he could use cash, that he was a bottom-tier worker in one of Neverland’s factories who had just started to move his way up, but how he was critical to the mission, Seb had yet to determine.

“Okay, so now that our insider is giving us information, none too willingly,” Gold began. “It’s time to determine what our plan will be. The entrances to the government and  _ leones  _ sectors will be guarded very closely, but the prison sector will not. So that’s our point of entry. You can draw, correct?” he asked, his gaze swiveling to look at another member of their party.

Eliot nodded. “I can.”

“Good. Then I need you and Locksley to get to work so we can finalize details,” Gold ordered.

That’s it? He was just the mapmaker? Seb couldn’t take it anymore. He walked over to Gold and, conscious of Eliot’s feelings, whispered. “Why is he even here, Gold? Surely, we need more than just a mapmaker.”

“We do,” he agreed, louder than Seb had intended. “He’s our insurance. Everyone, meet Eliot Waugh.”

********

Seb was shocked. The newbie was Waugh’s son? No wonder he was so sheltered and timid about the things that Seb took in stride: as a merch’s son, he would have never been exposed to the rougher crowd that inhabited the back streets and alleys of Neverland. His fresh face, his innocence, they all pointed to this outcome, and Seb couldn’t believe he hadn’t seen it sooner. He certainly spent enough time around Eliot, had been the one Gold sent to recruit him to the Foxes on Gold’s orders- and now, Seb knew why. As much as he hated to admit it, having a merch’s son would come in handy, especially this particular merch’s son. And he couldn’t help taunting him about it. “Now I see why Gold wanted me to recruit you.”

“Watch what you say, Seb,” Gold chastised him. “You may regret those words, as you’ll likely be working with him, depending on the plan we devise. You two are the best demolitions experts we have.”

Properly chastised, but never one to cower to authority, Seb merely glared at Gold, an action that was echoed on Gold’s part. Neither of them was one to back down from a challenge. 

“We’ll reconvene once Eliot’s made the map of the Pine Court,” Gold stated. “In the meantime, everyone needs to stock up on any materials they think they might need.”

Instead of following orders, though, as Gold, Belle, and Regina exited the room, Seb approached where Robin and Eliot were making the map. He was always a firm believer in having more than enough ammunition, so he likely had everything he needed already. Anything else, he would need to discover from Eliot’s map eventually, and the sooner, the better.

As he approached them, he observed the contrast between the two. Like him, Robin had short dark blonde hair and deep blue eyes. If Seb didn’t know better, he would have said they were identical twins. But he had an edge about him that Robin lacked. Or perhaps he didn’t, it was just different, the hardness born of a soldier’s battles instead of someone who sought the thrill of a life in Neverland.

Eliot, in contrast, had long chestnut hair that was held back in a ponytail. His thin frame was a contrast to Robin’s muscular stature. Unlike both Robin and Seb, he was all softness, his wiry frame no deterrent to curves born of a life as a merch’s son. His eyes demonstrated his gentle nature as well, filled with a kindness not often found in this area of Neverland- or anywhere nearby, if Seb was being honest.

At last, the plans were complete, and the group reconvened. “All right, so the prison gate is the only one always functioning. The other two are determined on a rotating schedule that guards are given the night before,” Robin told them. Seb could see his reluctance in his hunched shoulders and narrowed eyes. They would need to watch him- he could give them false information, just so he could double cross them later. “There’s a checkpoint before each gate-”

“Two,” Eliot interrupted. “My father and I went there a couple of years ago for an important meeting he had. There were two checkpoints at each gate before we were permitted inside the embassy.”

Gold’s face contorted into the closest thing Seb had ever seen to a smile on his face. “I knew you had value, merchling. He’s watching you, Locksley.”

The soldier sighed. “Fine. Four checkpoints, two at each gate. After that, you’re in. I’m assuming you want the mechanics of the gates?” he asked, glaring at Gold.

Their leader crossed his arms. “Of course.”

“I don’t know much about them. But I do know that what you’ll want to avoid is Black Protocol. Every sector shuts down, with no one being able to cross between sectors or go in or out of the Pine Court.”

“Avoid Black Protocol, got it,” Gold mused, surveying Eliot’s sketches. “And don’t you mean ‘we,’ Locksley? You’re coming on this job too, after all.” Without waiting for an answer, he started laying out their plan. “I was right, we’ll enter through the prison and exit through the embassy, since no one will be looking at someone exiting the compound. Where are they most likely holding Jones?”

The former soldier pointed at the map. “There. He’s likely being housed on the Green Island, in the center of the compound. It’s reserved for high-security prisoners, as well as the treasury.”

Gold nodded. “Then we enter through the prison and make our way to the Green Island.”

“How are we going to enter the prison, dressed as guards?” Eliot asked.

Seb smacked his forehead. With the merchling as their ally, they were never going to get very far. “That’s a recipe for disaster. We may as well gift wrap ourselves and turn ourselves in before we even start.”

“He’s right,” Gold informed them. “No, we’ll enter as what we are- criminals- then make our way to the Green Island.”

Seb looked around him at his fellow conspirators. Some, like Regina and Eliot, seemed apprehensive, while others- namely himself and Gold- were self-assured, confident. Only Robin was the cloud of the group, ready to ruin any plans they may have of making it out of the Pine Court alive.

“You’re dead,” he muttered. “We all are.”


End file.
